Herbal Foot Soak – Isthmus Wellness (2024)

Foot baths are a common treatment in China for digestive support, hormone regulation and pain. Nitric oxide, aka, “Qi” is a gaseous substance that regulates many body systems and functions, and it is carried by the blood. When blood circulation improves through blood moving herbs in the foot baths, “Qi” is distributed to muscle and organ tissue to help the body heal itself.

This makes Foot Baths an appropriate topical treatment for any condition where “Qi and blood” are “stagnant.”

Foot baths have been used historically in China for patients with digestion issues because they increase intestinal absorption; topical use of the herbs are more gentle on the body when absorption issues are present.

Endocrine conditions are regulated by using foot baths because the regulating effects of nitric oxide traveling through tissue helps to regulate all the bodies functions.

Foot baths are also useful for musculoskeletal because many of the herbs in the foot baths are specifically used for pain and muscle, sinew, joint conditions.

Foot baths are an appropriate adjunct treatment to use between acupuncture or massage appointments for any client with Qi or blood stagnation, dampness, and cold inside any tcm organ system, and also for the maintenance of chronic health conditions caused by stagnation of qi, blood, cold and damp.

If you want to look at the under current of a patient’s symptoms, it is imperative to look at the landscape. As we are surrounded by the Great Lakes and endure great cold in the winter, many of us have underlying symptoms of cold/damp type cold menstrual pain, cold damp arthritis, cold type asthma, etc. Cold damp or excess damp can often mimic or exacerbate underlying yang and Qi deficiencies.

1. Add 2 foot bath bags into a container which reaches above the ankles. If it can cover the calves it will work faster.
2. Add boiling or hot water to decoct herbs.
3. Wait until the temperature is at or below 110 F degrees.
4. Steep your feet for 30 mins, paying attention to the distribution of heat. Feel for cold areas or blockages in the distribution. Relax to allow the circulation to flow evenly.
5. Add hot water as you become accustomed to it, holding the water temperature at about 110 F.
6. After around 30 minutes you should break a light sweat.
7. Take your feet out while they are still hot. Dry feet thoroughly.

Allow sweat to dry being careful to avoid drafts or wind exposure.

Use daily for 3 months for arthritis.

Use daily for hormone balance and digestive disorders until symptoms alleviate.

After symptoms alleviate, continue 1-2 times per week for maintenance and health optimization.

“Feet are the foundation of the body’s energy system, yet they are an often overlooked part of the body. One-quarter of the body’s bones are in the feet, and over 72,000 nerve endings. Six meridians (liver, gallbladder, kidney, bladder, spleen, and stomach) run through the feet, containing over 70 acupuncture points. Feet are also more subject to injury than any other part of the body. The ancient Chinese compared the human body to a tree. Your arms are the branches, your torso is the trunk, and your feet are the roots. When people age, one of the first things that weakens is their root, resulting in mobility issues. One of the ways that people in China improve their health is with foot soaks. In Daoist temples, many people use this practice, particularly in the winter.”

The foot soaks we use in our clinic have ingredients that studies have shown to have effects on digestion, pain, immune system, hormones, circulation & liver and other metabolic functions.

Below is foot soak ingredient research:

Sheng Jiang: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0944711305001248 “Ginger exerts in vitro antioxidative, antitumorigenic and immunomodulatory effects and is an effective antimicrobial and antiviral agent. Animal studies demonstrate effects on the gastrointestinal tract, the cardiovascular system, on experimental pain and fever, antioxidative, antilipidemic and antitumor effects, as well as central and other effects.”

Qiang Huo: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11418-010-0486-6 “Acorus calamus has ameliorative potential in TST-induced painful neuropathy, and this effect may be attributed to its multiple actions including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective actions.”

Zang Hong Hua: https://bmcpharma.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2210-2-7 “We conclude that aqueous and ethanolic extracts of saffron stigma and petal have an antinociceptive effect, (the action or process of blocking the detection of a painful or injurious stimulus by sensory neurons.) as well as acute and/or chronic anti-inflammatory activity.”